After whispers on social media for weeks, Daniel Dubois vs. Filip Hrgovic was officially announced as one of the duels set for June 1 in the Queensberry vs. Matchroom 5v5 bill. Now though, there’s an additional twist which dangles for the prospective winner – a world title and even bigger opportunity against two-time unified world champion Anthony Joshua at Wembley later this year.
Miller mastered, now Dubois goes again
LONG-STANDING #1 IBF contender Filip Hrgovic will get his hands on a long-awaited world championship contest at the start of June, boxing former WBA (Regular) titleholder Daniel Dubois for the strap expected to be immediately stripped from the Tyson Fury vs. Oleksandr Usyk unification bout taking place two weeks earlier.
That’s the assumption from both fighters, per exclusive roundtable interviews with the pair during Tuesday’s media day for those ten boxers involved in the Queensberry vs. Matchroom 5v5 show. Hrgovic had this to say when asked about Fury-Usyk, and the permutations surrounding their rescheduled title fight:
“The plan is for the vacant IBF title to be on the line against Dubois. It should be me against Dubois, then the winner fights Joshua but you never know in boxing. I think if Fury wins, he will do everything to fight Joshua next, won’t want to fight Usyk again. If Usyk wins though, they will rematch.
So the winner of me and Dubois will fight Joshua instead – that’s my opinion – Joshua is the dream fight and I hope I will beat Dubois, then fight him in Wembley in September. That would be perfect.”
Dubois’ last five fights
December 2023: Jarrell Miller, R10 TKO
Aug. 2023: Oleksandr Usyk, R9 KO loss
Dec. 2022: Kevin Lerena, R3 TKO
June 2022: Trevor Bryan, R4 KO
Aug. 2021: Joe Cusumano, R1 TKO
Hrgovic’s last five
Dec. 2023: Mark De Mori, R1 TKO
August 2023: Demsey McKean, R12 TKO
Aug. 2022: Zhilei Zhang, UD12
Dec. 2021: Emir Ahmatovic, R3 TKO
September 2021: Marko Radonjic, R3 retirement
Dubois meanwhile, remained coy but acknowledged he too had heard murmurs suggesting the same and ended it with a line that sells itself.
“Whether our fight is for the world title or not, he [Hrgovic] holds that position with the IBF and I want to take it, so it’s an important fight. The winner of me and Hrgovic fighting AJ next makes business sense, that’s the business!
Me and AJ, two London boys, fighting for the world title would be mad. But that’s for my team to deal with, I am just training in the gym but it’d be a huge moment for me, a world title in London.”
After his second-round stoppage win over Francis Ngannou, I asked Joshua at the post-fight presser whether he’d stay active, and while showing an unequivocal desire to do so, murmurs of a Joseph Parker rematch were mooted in the interim – especially when Zhilei Zhang vs. Deontay Wilder was first reported for June 1.
Newly-crowned WBO interim champion Parker’s Dillian Whyte callout this month suggests he has other targets in mind for now as the Kiwi seeks to avenge his losses, while Joshua’s promoter Eddie Hearn long made clear their desire to manoeuvre their star into a position where he could become a three-time world titlist.
That is, of course, before miles on the clock and damage accumulation push him into a position where he’s at peace with his career and retires, something he has recently said will likely come in the next two-and-a-half years.
Dubois, long championed by Warren, would be a fitting opponent given how both Londoners have experienced their fair share of criticism after high-profile defeats.
Now though it’s on Olympic bronze medallist Hrgovic to play spoiler and muddy up the masterplan like others have previously, as the Croat has long promised to do.
Picture source: Getty Images
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